Actually Believing
by black-star6
Summary: A world caught in the middle of a war between two powers. Innocent children, murderous men, and treachorous women captured and tortured for information they do not have. Everybody wishing for a hero. Some actually believing.
1. When angels fall,

Prologue 

The little, noble daughter of Black-star Manor was happy. Her seventeen-year-old brother was coming home and had promised to bring her a present.

The little girl was turning eight soon, on December 21, 1256.

"Mamma! Hurry, here he comes."

There he was, coming slowly through the gates. His horse at a slow walk just to annoy her. He had reached the door and was dismounting as the rest of the family came out.

"What is our surprise, big brother?"

"Okay, settle down. I have three surprises, one for you, one for your sister, and news for Mother and Father."

"Well"

"Here is that porcelain doll you have been wanting. For your sister, I have a diamond necklace."

Her sister was fifteen and allowed to wear jewelry. The necklace had clear diamonds then round sapphires alternately. In the center though, was the most beautiful ruby pendant she had ever seen. 

"It's beautiful!", the sister exclaimed in an awed voice. 

The little girl though was interested in something else. 

"What is the news for Mamma and Papa?"

Proudly her brother stated, "Mother, Father, I have been accepted into the Alnec empire."

As the young child looked back at her family, to see their reactions, she noticed a maid yelp and run inside.

All three family members had unreadable expressions; her sister's was the strangest.

Her parents exchanged a look, like they had come to an unspoken agreement. "Come into the study, Son, so we can talk."  
She didn't hear the conversation that went on but when her brother came out his face looked ashen. He took a moment to look at them all.

"I am sorry it has come to this. I truly love you all, but I am bound by my allegiance.

"Alnec, protect your cause!"

From everywhere they came, black spider-like creatures with fire in their eyes. They covered the girl's mother and father.

"Will you join the Alnec cause or will you share their fate," her brother demanded as he motioned with his hand.

The creatures dispersed from the place their parents were. Only nothing was there except for her mother's long necklace.

The little girl stood there stunned, staring at the necklace, the place her parents were just a few precious moments ago. Her sister, it seemed, was affected exactly the opposite. She was livid.

"How dare you? I became an Excalier Duchess not long ago, and with their help I will avenge Mother and Father. Sister, will you join me?"

Reacting instinctively, the little girl jumped through a stained glass window that was nearest her, grabbing her mother's necklace as she went.

She ran across the courtyard behind the manor. The sound of the creatures, gaining on her with every step, spurred her on as fast as her legs would allow.

She heard them slowing down and yelling curses when she entered the forest behind her home. Being small she could squeeze through the branches and thorns, while they were entangled in the thick briars.

She kept running, long after sounds of pursuit had died, until she stumbled and fell. She grew still and lay there with only enough strength to pray they didn't catch her, and cry herself to sleep still clinging to her mother's necklace.


	2. Broken wings, black feathers,

A.N. I'm sorry if it took me to long to post, but my mom works online and I don't have many chances on the computer. This is my goal – 900 to 1000 words or more in every chapter. Hopefully in good time, too. I am not sure whether or not that is fine, but this is my first chapter story and that seemed okay for now. This chapter has little to no talking. Few other chapters will be like this. I am not sure if I spelled the names and things correctly, please tell me if I didn't.

Disclaimer: _despairing sigh_ "Don't remind me"

Actually Believing

Chapter 1

In 1265, Fanalia, though a beautiful country, was not nearly as developed as Austuria, its neighbor. This woodland country wasn't backward; they didn't envy Austuria. They kept to themselves mainly. To the outside world they seemed to lead peaceful, simple, and contented lives. They were anything but simple, their culture being rich and complex, spiced with the tangy taste of legends, myths, and superstitions. 

People on the borderlands were constantly in fear of invasion, outlaws, and dragons. All depending on where you lived. If you lived in the vicinity of the castle you were relatively safe, because the most soldiers were stationed there. It was because of these soldiers that Fanaliaeven had taverns and inns. The soldiers needed somewhere to go on there time off. 

The main city, Caoirt, was directly beneath the castle less than a mile walk. The path to the castle had bushes and thorns all over the place. The surroundings around the path and in front and behind the castle were thick woods barely explored because of the wild animals. It was said the place was cursed. 

Inspite of all this, many people traveled the little road every day. For if you looked up from in front of the castle doors to the second floor on the right, third balcony from the end, you would see Erya. Always with a wistful smile on her face. 

She was hauntingly beautiful, just looking at her made your heartbreak. Talking to her was worse. Her voice was like a soft spring rain. Of a higher pitch, but with a waling on water feel to it. She made you feel lightheaded. She was a cat-women, like her cousin, princess Merle. 

In the Fanalian royal blood line the females were cat-women and the males draconians. No one really knew how this came about. It was said to have started out as a curse. There was one seer in the family per generation. Erya was the seer this time. 

Deep in the heart of the castle was a dark figure with a deep scowl that marred his handsome face. If you saw him you would think he was an intruder or a thief. While he wasn't an intruder, he was a thief. 

Whenever a guard, making rounds, peeked in they immediately stood at attention and bowed. They then quietly left the room. The man usually chuckled when they did this.

This was prince Van, Merle's brother. In his hands he held an ancient, tattered book. After spending six days in the dimly lit room, eating only when Merle came down and forced him to, only sleeping when exhaustion drove him to it, he was getting restless. He finally took the book and left the room. 

A guard, spotting Van, slipped silently away unnoticed. Or so he thought, when in truth Van was watching him out of the corner of his eyes. 

Not wanting to have to deal with Merle at the moment he went for a walk deep in the forest. The place he was headed was about a half our walk. On the way he contemplated the written material in his hands.

He had been looking for the reason males were draconians and females were cat-women. He had found nothing, but for some reason he kept thinking it might also have something to do with the fact that there was a seer every generation and when one died it passed on to another. 

The power seemed to prefer women over men and always chose the strongest and most balanced both mentally and physically. And though it foretold evil it only went to good people, sometimes driving them into despair. Some people thought the power itself was evil, corrupting the good souls it seeped into. This is one reason many people were afraid of seers. The people of Fanalia weren't afraid, just wary from past experience.

The fact that Erya received the powers when Naria died was strange. Van had originally thought they would go to Merle, who had a very assertive personality. But the more Van thought about it he realized Merle was to immature and might abuse such powers, while Erya was to meek to even practice them, much less use them aggressively. 

Naria was Erya's twin sister; she was the original seer. She loved pulling ranks, but was mature enough to know when to quit. Merle was a lot like her, just without the maturity. Erya had depended greatly on Naria. When she died in the middle of a vision 9 years ago, Erya had sunk into a depression. It didn't help any that she was in love with someone she could never have. Only Van and Merle knew, but they would never tell that she was in love with Folken, her cousin and Van's older brother.

Though she tried to hide it Van could tell she still had nightmares about Naria's death. He knew he thought about it often. It had started out like any other day and almost ended that way too. Van almost shuddered as he remembered the look on her clouded face and the terror in her voice.

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9 years ago

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Just finishing their meal and now down to talking and arguing, you wouldn't have guessed they were royalty. They were arguing over whether Alnec or Excalier were the better choice. This was purely for argument's sake as Fanalia unanimously agreed to join neither powers, choosing instead to remain neutral, providing food, shelter, and supplies only when they got something in return. They were a small country with a small army; nobody really paid them any mind.

While Folken was arguing Excalier's finer points with Merle going against him for Alnec, the rest of the family was listening and at times interrupting with their own positive or negative comments, all of them audible. 

Van had once talked to Naria and they had agreed that while the rest of the family might just be content to let the tyrannical powers do whatever they want as long as they left Fanalia alone, but Van and Naria wanted to do something against them. They didn't believe it was right to just stand by and watch as they destroyed people's lives.

As they were all having fun with this debate, nobody noticed Naria's eyes cloud over and her mouth start twitching. They came out of their festivities only when Naria yelled. All went quiet as they looked at the terror stricken face yelling, every word was clear and burned into Van's mind as if he was living it. Nobody missed a single word she said, though they didn't know to whom she was talking to.

"Brindols… her parents.

"No, don't join either one. They will only lead to destruction."

As she came to slowly opening her eyes, she smiled sadly and looked at Van, "All three necklaces had dragons on them. They should have called it Dragons-breath," as she whispered everyone could hear her in the deathly still room, but no one could really understand what she was talking about.

"Find her Van, the little Black-star Manor girl is important for your cause."

From the look in her eyes as she said this Van knew she was talking about their cause against Alnec and Excalier. Though Van didn't really want any outside help, especially from a little girl, he would search for her because Naria had said to, she had never steered him wrong.

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The present time

Van shook his head to rid himself of the memory. It was a painful one. The memory also reminded him of something he had found in the book. It was a legend about a woman a long time ago. Her name sounded familiar to Van. He thought they were related or something. If they were it might explain a few things about the seer powers inherited through out his ancestral history. He would discuss it with Balgus later. He paused for a moment trying to remember the details and then continued on his walk

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The Legend of Spring

Once upon a time…when seers were called by a different name there was a beautiful, powerful sorceress. She had light blond hair and deep blue eyes that changed shades with her moods but always a clear blue. She was the gentlest soul that had ever been… This was her downfall; she could not fight the evil magician Cantor, who wanted her desperately, or his master, King Vadden. Lord Vadden was envious of her powers. __

They came at a ball in honor of her 25th birthday. As they beat and raped her, her guests just stood watching. They would not risk their own lives to save the one they owed so much to. 

In her only moment of anger, she cried out for all to hear, "You may kill me but my descendents will have my powers. There will come a time when one strong enough to defeat you at the peak of your glory will receive my powers and _fight you." _

Amused at her outburst King Vadden inquired of her, "How, my dear, will you accomplish this task? I have killed your only daughter."

Quietly her last words, before Vadden cut her throat in rage, were, " I have a son." 

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An: The flashback was last minute. As I was typing the chapter it just kind of came out. I hope it is all right. As I type or rewrite I tend to spontaneously change, add, or leave out things.

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End file.
